Son found his mum drowned in the bath day before she was due to go on holiday

A beloved mum drowned in a bath the day before she was due to go on holiday.

Helen Louise Dean was found with her face submerged in the water by one of her sons at her home in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire on January 6, an inquest heard.

Paramedics attended but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Liverpool-born Helen had recently celebrated her 60th birthday and was about to finish packing for a holiday, reports LancsLive.

The mum, who was said to be in general good health, had been "profoundly intoxicated" at the time of her death.

Helen's son, Joshua Jordan Dean, said she had "no issues" with alcohol or drugs in a statement read out by assistant coroner Laura Fox at Preston Coroner's Court on Tuesday.

Helen was found dead at her home in Lancashire on January 6 (Mill View Estate pictured) (Google Streetview)

Joshua said: "She did enjoy a glass or two of wine in the evenings. We had a great Christmas spent together as a family then it was her 60th birthday which she said was the best ever and she was about to go on holiday.

"Mum's sister had spoken to her at 6.30pm and she said she was about to have a bath and then finish packing for her holiday.

"She never intimated she would take her own life. Mum did say she sometimes felt a bit anxious following lockdown but it didn't cause us any concern."

Dr Jim Simpson, a consultant radiologist who carried out a CT scan after Helen's death, said he noted fluid in the sinuses in her skull and concluded the cause of death was drowning.

He said in a statement: "She had a history of alcohol excess. On the balance of probabilities it is more likely that this has resulted in decreased consciousness level and subsequently drowning."

Post mortem toxicology tests showed Helen had a blood alcohol level of 232 milligrams of alcohol per litre.

Giving a conclusion of misadventure, the coroner said: "It is clear to me that Helen was a well-loved woman who was looking forward to her holiday.

"On the afternoon of January 16 Mrs Dean had consumed a profound amount of alcohol which, alongside her use of codeine, may have enhanced some of the toxic effects of alcohol causing sedation and respiratory depression.

"She was incapacitated by excess alcohol and tragically her head entered the water and she drowned. She came by her death as a result of drowning in her bath following consumption of excess alcohol.

"She intended drinking the alcohol and having a bath but she didn't intend to take her own life."